Employers don’t dictate pay rates. They negotiate them and they are mutually agreed upon. It’s up to your pilot group to determine what you are worth and what you are paid. The company will always try to pay you the bare minimum that you’d agree to. Sometimes it takes a majority “no” vote (or a MEC no vote before it gets to the pilot group) to boost it to what you believe you’re worth.

Negotiators negotiate based on polling data and MEC guidance. When you fill surveys out, put high numbers in there. Demand more at every opportunity. When your NC doesn’t achieve it and falls short, at least you’re still mid range. If you aim for average and don’t achieve it, you end up trailing the pack. And in the last 5-10 years, it appears both spirit and jetblue consistently like to trail everyone else.